Chapter Thirteen

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Sang's POV

Kota's friends stayed with me for several hours before they all had to go back to their everyday lives and then call it a night. Two of them would be staying with me. My own personal bodyguards. Never in a million years would I have thought that this is how things would have turned out.

Being beaten. Nearly dying, if I wasn't already dead. Kota showing up. Then his friends welcomed me into their family without a second thought. They even took the fact that one of their own could see me in stride. I'm not sure how to react to all of this just yet. How to handle what these boys are willing to offer me without really knowing me.

Sure, Raven translated for me as they asked about how I grew up, myself, and other seemingly mundane things.

As the two who are staying with me, I learned their names were Luke and North Taylor. Apparently they are actually brothers, step, but more so than the others that they also call brothers. They had something about family being a choice. It had resonated with me. I'd like to think that we could choose those who were in our inner circle, like I had done with Kota. To make a life for myself surrounded by people who wouldn't tear me down or make me afraid of my own shadow.

There are pieces of my life from before that I wish I could erase from my memory permanently; however, I know they shaped who I am today. Without what happened to me, I probably never would have met Kota, eventually meeting his brothers, and that would have been a tragedy. These men have quickly become something that I want to hold onto. They are giving me a reason to fight for my life so I can create a new one with them surrounding me.

It's with that thought that I settle into the night. The boys have returned and are stationed on either side of me in chairs. I'm not sure exactly what is in store for me tonight, but at least I will have company. I can study them and get to know them as they rest.

Footsteps are the first thing I hear before her heavy breathing reaches me next

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Footsteps are the first thing I hear before her heavy breathing reaches me next. It isn't long before her voice rings out, yelling my name as though she isn't right outside my door.

Scrambling to my feet, I hurriedly rush to the door, frantically trying to think of what I could possibly have done in order for her to come all the way up the stairs.

She doesn't give me time to open the door before she is rushing in. The sight before me has my blood whooshing in my ears and a cold sweat to break out over my skin. In my sixteen years of living, I've never seen her so livid and that's including the day she found out the truth of my existence and about my birth mother. I thought those first weeks after that discovery was bad, but I have a feeling today will be much worse. Something tells me I need to run, not stick around to find out just what she might do to me.

I could run to Kota. He'll know what to do. I'd have to explain some things to him. About my mother and my life. It's a risk, but one I'd be willing to take in order to escape whatever fate she may have in store for me today.

My feet move backward without conscious thought. The look in mother's eye is terrifying.

"Little Sang. The little whore. Did you really think I wouldn't find out? That I wouldn't notice?"

Words don't escape. Though I know they usually have very little meaning or effect in trying to diffuse punishments. It's usually better to stay quiet, hoping to get it over with quickly. She doesn't seem to want an answer anyways.

When mother steps enough into the room, I make my escape. Jumping over my bed and darting into the hallway to rush down the stairs. However, I don't account for how fast she is. Usually she is too doped up on medicine to do more than lay in bed. It's only when she comes out to dole punishment that her strength seems to find her. It's surprising how much punch a hit can pack, or a kick, after someone has taken an abundance of pills. Even in her weakened state she is a force to be reckoned with.

Mother catches me off guard, grabbing hold of my wrist in an ironclad hold. Maniacal gleam highlights her irises as she takes in our positions. It's too late for me to realize what she has planned until my arms are whirl-pooling around me trying to grab friction within the air. My body collides with stairs and continues its downward momentum until I'm dumped at the bottom of the stairs. Somewhere along the journey a crack sounded, a rib, I think, has been fractured. Or worse broken completely. Dark spots dance in the corner of my vision. I have just enough sight to see mother slowly descending down the stairs until she hovers over my body.

She just looks at me for a moment before stepping over my prone body. I desperately attempt to get up, but it's a fruitless effort. I hadn't even had a chance to recover fully from the punishment yesterday. The already sore muscles protest loudly, unwilling to corporate just yet.

Her heavy footfalls sound once more and a whimper escapes involuntarily.

"Hush little whore. You are going to get exactly what you deserve, you ungrateful little wench. I've tried and I've tried, but you just don't seem to want to learn. Maybe this will finally teach you a lesson."

I can't see what she does but the agonizing pain that erupts from my side speaks volumes.

My body curls into itself to try and preserve what little of my body remains untouched it can. It's a feeble attempt. I don't know how long I lie there taking her punishment. My mind shut it all out. The pain, the punishment, the words. All of it. Eventually though, mother seems to tire herself out, dropping whatever tool she used to dish out her revenge before retiring to her room.

Once the door closes behind her, I know that I'm safe, but I know that this is far worse than anything she had ever done before. I can feel a warm liquid pooling beneath me and while at first I'm not sure what it could be, it eventually catches up to me.

Bringing my hand to my face, I immediately spot the bright red liquid coating it. There is no doubt now. I'm slowly losing blood. Whatever she did to me this time is far worse than before. I know that I need help. Need to get out of this house. Yet my body refuses to move. I can't seem to move anything, not since my hand. It's like I'm paralyzed. Not even my voice is working. My lips refuse to open and yell for help. If I could just call out, maybe someone could save me.

Please.

Somebody.

Anybody.

Help Me. 

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